Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus which discharges ink on a recording medium to record an image has been known as a recording apparatus. The ink jet recording apparatus incorporates a liquid discharge head for discharging ink.
As a mechanism for discharging ink from the liquid discharge head, there is known a piezoelectric member which introduces and discharges ink by changing the volume of a pressure chamber included in the liquid discharge head. The pressure chamber is provided with a liquid supply channel for supplying ink to the pressure chamber, and nozzles for discharging ink from the pressure chamber. When the volume of the pressure chamber is contracted, the ink contained in the pressure chamber is discharged as ink droplets from the nozzles, and when the volume of the pressure chamber is expanded, the ink is introduced into the pressure chamber from the liquid supply channel.
The piezoelectric member is composed of a diaphragm that forms at least one wall surface of the pressure chamber and a piezoelectric element provided on the diaphragm. The volume of the pressure chamber can be expanded or contracted by deforming the piezoelectric element.
In particular, a cylindrical piezoelectric member has been previously proposed in which a cylindrical piezoelectric element is used to form a pressure chamber. The cylindrical piezoelectric member contracts toward the center in a radial direction of the cylindrical shape. Accordingly, the ink accumulated in the pressure chamber is uniformly pressurized in a direction toward the center from the outer periphery of the piezoelectric member. This allows the ink to be discharged from the nozzles with a larger flying force.
Meanwhile, in order to obtain a higher resolution while maintaining a printing speed in performing printing with the liquid discharge head using the piezoelectric member, it is necessary to dispose multiple nozzles at a higher density in the liquid discharge head. Correspondingly, the piezoelectric members provided in association with the respective nozzles are required to have a structure that is small and can be disposed at a high density.
In this regard, PTL 1 discloses a liquid discharge head in which multiple cylindrical piezoelectric members are arranged in a staggered two-dimensional matrix form, thereby increasing the density of nozzles. PTL 1 also discloses a method for manufacturing the liquid discharge head in which a piezoelectric material is filled in a mold having multiple recesses and the piezoelectric members are integrally formed. The integral formation of the piezoelectric members can improve accuracy of the layout of the nozzles and simplify a process for manufacturing the piezoelectric members.
PTL 2 discloses, as a method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head in which piezoelectric members are disposed at a high density, a method for stacking multiple plates each having multiple grooves with groove extending directions aligned with each other and cutting the plates in a direction perpendicular to the groove extending direction. The plates are each formed of a piezoelectric material, and each groove portion serves as a pressure chamber.
In the manufacturing method disclosed in PTL 2, a pressure chamber having a greater depth than the manufacturing method disclosed in PTL 1 can be formed while the density of the disposed nozzles is maintained. The volume of the pressure chamber and the amount of contraction thereof can be increased by increasing the depth of the pressure chamber. Accordingly, both the flying force of ink and the high-density layout of nozzles can be obtained.